


Dead Man's Tale

by missingnolovefic



Series: Moniker [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Fake AH Crew, Fake Character Death, Gen, Pre-Fake AH Crew, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-01 20:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16772740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingnolovefic/pseuds/missingnolovefic
Summary: Jack once worked for Cockbite, years ago. When he fled, he left them thinking he died. Now they want to hire his alter ego.





	Dead Man's Tale

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MyOwnAnthem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyOwnAnthem/gifts).



> I don't write about the founders often, but this was pretty fun! Hope you like it :)

“I’ve heard good things about you, Monki,” Burns said lazily, flipping open a file in front of him. “Reliable. Fast. Good aim. All anyone could want in a hire. And we do want to hire you. Except…” Burns paused, looking up slowly from the files. “There’s one question I need you to answer first.”

‘Monki’ shifted in his seat, eyes drawn towards Geoff despite himself. He forced his gaze to keep moving, taking in Gus, Matt and Joel strewn about the conference room. He’d expected meeting Geoff - Ramsey’s crew was the one to contact him, after all - but the others were a surprise. What were all the founders of the Cockbite empire doing in Los Santos?

“Depends on the question,” ‘Monki’ replied, voice muffled by the helmet he was wearing. Burns shot him a humourless smile.

“Of course,” he agreed lightly, so lightly it had ‘Monki’ tense up. “We’re friends, Jack, aren’t we?”

For one infinite second, ‘Monki’ stared blankly at him. Then his words sank in, and Jack stiffened. He stood abruptly, chair scraping over the floor. A look at the founders had him hesitate.

“How did you know?” he asked roughly.

“How did we _know?_ ” Geoff piped up, voice shrill. “We _didn’t!_ We thought you were _dead_ , dickhead! We thought-”

“What happened?” Gus interrupted as Geoff struggled for words, and Jack turned his visor in his direction. “Why did you leave?”

“I-” Jack swallowed. He sat down slowly, gingerly. “It’s a long story.”

“We waited a long time to hear it,” Matt pointed out. Jack sighed and pulled off his helmet. He avoided their eyes, staring instead at the table.

“I’d just reached the highway on my way here when…”

_The car was purring under his hands. Jack let his hands glide over the steering wheel, admiring the chrome-accented dashboard. It was fast and sleek, a promotion gift from his bosses. Perfect to take out on a joyride - or a milk-run, which really was all this job was. Chances of danger were slim to none, just an easy transfer across the state. Normally one of the newer recruits would be saddled with this kinda job, but Jack had been itching to take his new car for a ride, and Burnie indulged him._

_A shudder went through the car, followed by a screeching sound. Jack’s seat leaned to the right, the car swerving. He pulled on the wheel, trying to straighten out. The high-pitched sound continued. Heart dropping, Jack realized that someone had popped his tire._

_In the rearview mirror, he saw three bikes pulling up on him, while the backdoor of the van before him slammed open to reveal thugs with guns pointed at him. Jack’s blood ran cold. Their heads were covered in red and blue balaclavas, hiding their faces._

It’s RvB _, he thought, even as he reacted, letting the car pull to the right before accelerating, trying to shake his tail and pass the van. The van rammed into his side, pressing him against the guard rail. There was a metallic screech, and Jack flinched._

_They pinned him down, shot him. They took the drives. All the information about their plans, the expansion, about locations of warehouses, safehouses-_

_Jack blanched, and not just from the blood loss. He was screwed._

“But why didn’t you come back?” Geoff demanded, voice pitched high. “We could have helped you!”

“You could have warned us,” Joel pointed out sharply, the first thing he said during the meeting. Jack flinched.

“I- I wasn’t thinking,” he admitted, bowing his head in shame. “I panicked.”

_Los Santos was a big city. Easy to get lost among the crowd, to buy a shitty apartment, to keep his head low. Harder, though, to find steady work, especially with his… particular skill set. Jack ended up cheating at cards in casinos, gambling just long enough to make some profit before getting the heck out of dodge._

_After a while, someone noticed. Invited him to bet on a_ real _gamble._

 _Street racing was how Jack got started in this business, though nobody knew him here. Nobody bet on the newcomer, the wild card, the unknown… except Jack himself. But he couldn’t just rejoin the underground, not when he_ knew _Geoff would hear - Ramsey’s ruthless take-over of Los Santos progressed at an insane rate. He’d hear back about the bearded redhead and then…_

 _So Jack went and bought a biker helmet with a darkened visor. And then he signed up, using his old moniker_ Monki _._

_He won race after race and soon made himself a name in the Los Santos underground… and a reputation as a reliable get-away driver. It all worked perfectly, until one day, the past came calling. A messenger, who told him Ramsey wanted to see him. Made him an offer he couldn’t refuse._

_And Jack… Jack knew he should say no. Knew better than to risk it. But…_

_He missed the asshole. Missed all of them._

“So what now?” Jack asked, breaking the silence. They’d never come after him, and Jack wasn’t sure why. Whether they trusted him, or they were too busy with RvB. Whether he never mattered in the first place. His heart beat a rapid tattoo.

Wasn’t sure he would leave here alive.

“You’ve answered our question,” Burnie said, stroking his beard. “Congratulations, you got the job.”

“...what?”

“You’re hired,” Gus drawled, eyeing him over the rim of his glasses. “The way I see it, you better make yourself worth it and pay us back for all the stress you caused.”

Jack swallowed. “I’m sorry. I abandoned you guys. I should’ve sent word, at least, so you could prepare for RvB’s atta-”

“Shut up,” Geoff snapped, his chair dropping to the floor as he leaned forward suddenly. “You think we care about _that_? We thought you were dead!”

“Geoff-”

“I thought you fucking died, asshole!” Geoff’s face scrunched up, and he dragged a hand over his face. “But... you’re alive. You’re here. So fuck off and just… come back. Okay?”

“Are you sure?” Jack asked gently. He glanced at Burnie, at Gus and Matt and Joel.

“We’re sure,” Burnie said with a note of finality in his voice. Jack closed his eyes.

“Okay.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, Anthem, for all your support <3 Without you, this story wouldn't exist.


End file.
